The greatest fool

By Gilbert Hackforth-Jones

Subjects: 1910-1947. A life on the ocean wave (as an officer), war at sea, Royal Navy

Description: It contains the best description of life at the Royal Naval College, Osborne (on the Isle of Wight) pre-WW1 that I have found to date. The story is run of the mill: misfit young officer ("good at games"); casualty of the Geddes Axe; between wars scratching living; back in the RN for WW2 where he prospers, but ends up as "Secretary of a golf club". Just how many were there like that? And, by the way, an unsuccessful love life!